談談我國傳統(tǒng)文化中一些詞語的翻譯（一）

文/陳德彰

習近平主席博學精深，在講話和發(fā)表的文章中，常常會引用一些古籍中的語錄和經(jīng)典的話語，深入淺出地說明問題。在外事活動中，習近平主席也常引用我國優(yōu)秀傳統(tǒng)文化中的一些話語來表達和闡明我國的立場和政策。正如《中華思想文化術語》叢書（外語教學與研究出版社）的序言中所說的：

“中華思想文化蘊藏著解決當今人類所面臨的許多問題的重要啟示，中華民族所倡導的‘厚德載物’‘道法自然’‘天人合一’‘和而不同’‘民為邦本’‘經(jīng)世致用’等思想，以及它所追求的‘協(xié)和興邦’‘天下一家’世界‘大同’，代表了當今世界文明的發(fā)展趨勢，也因此成為國際社會的共識?！?/p>

能否用地道的外語準確地翻譯此類詞語，對確保成功的交際，是一個重要的方面。然而，目前在這一方面還存在不少問題。

近年來，世界上許多國家的學校里開設了漢語課，有的甚至從小學就讓學生學習漢語，我們在世界各地開設的數(shù)百所孔子學院也在教授漢語。但是懂得漢語的外國人畢竟還是少數(shù)，別說能看懂中國古典著作，就是真正了解中國文化的人也很少。所以，通過翻譯將中國傳統(tǒng)文化中的優(yōu)秀遺產(chǎn)介紹給世界各國，也是一個迫切而艱巨的任務。

本文就筆者在翻譯我國傳統(tǒng)文化中一些詞語時常見的一些問題與大家商討，供從事和學習翻譯的同志們參考。需要說明的是，筆者只是一個從事了幾十年翻譯教學的教書匠，所以養(yǎng)成了雞蛋里挑骨頭的毛病，而且有點眼高手低。自己也翻譯過一些東西，其實毛病也不少。本文只是筆者一家之言，尤請方家不吝指教。

說到翻譯，當然避不開以讀者為主的翻譯觀念（即英文說的target reader orientated translation）。翻譯不是給譯者自己欣賞的，而是要將原文的意思準確地傳達出來，達到準確交際的目的。

下面是筆者遇到的書籍和文章英譯中一些典型的問題。先看幾個對整段譯文的評論。頭兩則例子沒有列出中文原文，只看譯文就能看出不少問題。第三則是中英對照的，可看出翻譯中出現(xiàn)的問題。筆者在認為有可商榷的部分加了下劃線，魚尾號內(nèi)是評論。

1. Poetic conception refers to the method of using intuitive sensibilities【此詞指（一個人/讀者）感覺/認知的能力。學英文的人應該知道Sense and Sensibility這本名著和這兩個詞的區(qū)別】to compose a poem. Through the use of this unique【此詞有必要嗎】method, the poet can【確切地說最好用will be able to】construct in the mind a poetic state that intermingles to an exceptional degree【將此部分移到全句末，即imagery之后，結構會緊湊得多】the poet’s inner feelings and external imagery. The term qujing (取境 ) was coined by the Tang monk poet Jiaoran in his Poetic Styles. Based on【這是中國人學英語常見的用詞錯誤，應該是on the basis of】a review of how poets from the Six Dynasties to the mid-Tang Dynasty wrote poems, he concluded that to write poetry, one must structure one’s thoughts【這樣的用詞和搭配好嗎】 carefully so as to generate a uniquely original conception with no trace of common clichés【有not common的clichés嗎】so that, following a period of【用詞太花里胡哨，建議改為 after some】strenuous meditation, an inspiration will arise and the imagination will run free. Only in this way can the poet create a poem with a fine visionary world. Although the conception may【改為should也許更好】be highly original, ultimately the style【建議簡化，改為the ultimate style】of the work must be simple and natural without any trace【建議改為語氣更重的with no trace】of having been laboriously crafted【建議改為laborious crafting，因為漢語多用狀語，而英語多用定語】. This term is closely related to the terms jingjie (境界) and yijing (意境), and together they are part of a series of terms about jing (境) in classical Chinese poetics.

2. Words can fully express a【應該用定冠詞the】fundamental understanding of the universe. The relationship of【應該用between】language to【應該用連接詞and】thought was a prominent topic of debate in the Wei and Jin dynasties.Ouyang Jian did not accept the view of Xun Can and Wang Bi, alleging【這里的-ing分詞有語病，應該改用關系從句who alleged】that “words do not【這樣的結構問題較大，應該改用cannot】fully express thought.” Instead,he advanced【advance是“發(fā)展”的意思，建議改用put forward】the thesis【用詞不確切，應該用notion一詞,兩者的意思大不一樣】that “words 【這里最好加上can，不僅可與前文一致，意思也更明白】fully express thought.”In his opinion, “thought” or “ideas” (yi) represent perceptions of objects and reason, while names and words are reflections of 【什么的reflection？最好加上them】and 【為了清楚地表達出邏輯關系，建議這里加上系動詞are】determined by things and reason. As an“idea”is acquired and expressed, it is analyzed and realized by names and words【name and words本身 并 不能realize，應在names前加上means of】.“Ideas”and“words”【不是所有的詞，而是和“意”相對應的詞，所以應改為The ideas and their correspondent word】are accord【此詞不確切，應改為 consistent】with each other and inseparable. Thus“thought”can be fully and exhaustively expressed.

3. 原文：吾日三省吾身：為人謀而不忠乎？與朋友交而不信乎？傳不習乎？譯文：Each day I reflect on myself in three ways. 【in three ways 的意思是“用三種方法”，可是下面列的明明是三個問題，也就是“三個方面”，英文應該是 in three aspects，起碼是 on three questions。不少人沒有看到下文，把“三”理解為“三次”，是不對的】Have I failed to be loyal when acting on behalf of others【理解有誤。原文中的“為人”不是“代表其他人”，而是“替別人”，故應該改為for someone】? Have I failed to be faithful in interactions with my friends【這樣理解“交”顯然過分。不是“互動”，而是表示與朋友交往，可簡單譯為 do anything sincere to my friends】? Have I failed to practice【這里的“習”不是“實習”或“踐行”而是“復習”，故而應該是review】repeatedly【完全沒有必要加上這個詞，原文根本沒有三番五次或一再“習”的意思】the teachings handed down to me【這樣譯也不妥，I have learned 就可以了，實在要表達這個“傳”字，似可加上 from the teachers/forefathers/predecessors】？ □